Top US Diplomat Urges Biden Administration To Focus On Africa In Counterterrorism Efforts

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2021) US State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales recommended his successors in the incoming Joe Biden administration to focus on fighting radical groups in Africa and keeping pressure on Iran.

"First, we need to focus on Africa. As ISIS [a terrorist organization banned in Russia] has lost its territory and power in Iraq and Syria, it works to strengthen its global reaches, including in places like the Sahel and Mozambique. AQ's [Al Qaeda, a terrorist organization banned in Russia] affiliates likewise remain resilient," Sales said during a virtual event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute on Thursday.

He warned that these groups are exploiting undergoverned spaces, conflict zones, security gaps and called for vigilance "to stop them from plotting external operations."

"The de-ISIS coalition needs to play a leadership role here, albeit in the civilian capacity rather than a military one," Sales said.

Another priority should be keeping up a pressure on Iran and its proxies, he added. Sales suggested continued drive to ban or designate globally Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Lebanese movement, "in its entirety" - without making distinctions between political and military wings.

"We need to make sure that CT [counterterrorism activities] remains an urgent priority. We have entered the era of great power competition in which China and other state rivals will consume the lion's share of policy-makers attention. But counter terrorism and great power competition are not mutually exclusive," he said.

Sales called CT a comparative advantage for the United States, which wants to be "the security partner of choice" for foreign countries.